Admitting It and Learning Something New
by LostBionicChild
Summary: Makoto "Mick" Miki is suspecting a certain orange haired customer may be hitting on him. Eiji Oji, being the princely gentleman he is, cares to enlighten him a bit about the situation. Story goes on as Makoto tries to sort himself out. R&R?
1. A little Flustered

Just a little something I started at 1 am in the morning. I was a bit disappointed to see how little attention Mick was receiving in the fandom, as well as Eiji. There will be a pairing that will be developed, most likely between Mick and Eiji. It's an experiment of sorts and I'm trying to get it to work. There will however be some one-sided or slight or implied other pairings too. So just read, and suggestions are welcome.

* * *

DING!

"Ah! Welcome to Shadow Ramen—Oh, w-welcome, Mr. Oji!-- Prince!" Makoto Miki exclaimed from his position at the counter, acknowledging the blond gentlemen.

"And a good day to you, Mick." Eiji, Prince of Ennui, replies. "I see your business is finally taking off again." He adds, looking across the room at the people eating and chatting among themselves in their respective tables.

"Ah, yes, business is fine once again... Not as great as when I first opened, but great nonetheless." Mick says in a jokingly manner while sweat dropping slightly.

"So, Mr. Oji, what'll it be?" He asked while leading the man to an empty table.

On their short way there, Mick couldn't help but notice some of his customers stopping to gawk at the Prince, squealing and giggling beneath their breaths as the two strode past them.

"I'll have a bowl of your Shadow Steak Ramen, please. Thank you." Eiji replies as he sat himself down.

"Okay, right away sir---" DING!

Mick halted mid sentence as he spied from the corner of his eye, a certain carrot head entering the shop. "A-a-a-ag-g-gain! I-it's him!!" He exclaimed in a whisper.

"W-w-welcome, sir!" He says to the orange haired teen, trying his best to stay composed.

Eiji, who was seated just beside the place Mick was still standing, couldn't help but keep his attention at the young man as he seemed to panic at the sight of his new customer.

"I'll have a Shadow Steak Ramen to go, please." The teen, known as Neku, said rather boredly.

"R-right away!" Mick said hurriedly and went straight to the kitchen.

"Well, if isn't the headphones guy, how've you been? Keeping up with the trends lately?" The Prince said, not really looking at Neku, but addressing the said teen all the same with an amused expression on face.

Neku, in turn, made something short of a grimace and replied a bit grumpily: "Been fine, and not really."

"You sure stirred Mick up quite a bit at your entrance." Eiji says while making a sideways glance up at Neku from his seat.

"Psh, tell me about it." He replied in a low mumble.

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

Neku knew very well what was bothering the young shop owner, and he wasn't really all that glad at the wrong assumption Makoto had about him. "I don't swing that way." He mumbled subconsciously, his eye twitching a bit in annoyance.

The prince on the other hand, amused expression gone, stared at the strange teen a short while before Makoto finally popped out from the kitchen with their orders.

Makoto handed Neku a box rather steadily, despite his voice being anything but. "H-h-here y-you go, sir! Th-that'll be f-five thousand yen-- e-uh, please."

Neku silently took the box, handed him a 5k yen bill, and left without a word.

Mick, seeming to have finally learned how to breath properly again, sighs in relief, and approaches the Prince's table and sets down the bowl of ramen he'd ordered.

"My, my, what was that short spectacle about? You seemed so very flustered, Mick." Eiji says, amused expression back on.

"Wha---" Makoto almost shrieks, noticing some of the customers staring. Face turning red, he hurriedly makes his way back to the kitchen.

* * *

end chapter 1


	2. Stupid and Confused

Chapter 2. Not much yet. It's freaking 5am though.

* * *

Closing time, and Makoto Miki is the last to leave his ramen shop. He fixes a few more things and locks the doors.

*Sigh* "Gosh, why do I always, one way or another, make a fool of myself. I must have some sort of talent for looking like a complete idiot or something."

The young man, clad in his blue suit once again, walks the lighted streets of Shibuya. Even at night, this familiar place in Tokyo is bustling with people.

Passing the 104 building, Makoto suddenly caught a certain blond in the crowd. As it seems, he too has noticed the brunette in kind.

"Why, Mick, there you are." The Prince of Ennui greets as he strolls over to where Makoto was standing.

"Oh, hello again, Mr. Oji." He replies, forcing a smile.

"Hm, I do apologize if I seemed a bit insensitive to your situation earlier today. It was not my intention to embarrass you like that in front of your customers." Eiji says, still with his head high as always, but expression and tone, apologetic and sincere.

"A-ah, n-no! Prince! It's totally fine! It... It was probably my own fault anyway. It was no way your fault..." Makoto replied hurriedly and a bit timidly, his voice trailing off near the end of his last sentence.

"Very well, but might I ask what's wrong? You seemed very bothered."

Makoto, eyes fixated on the ground for a while, shifts on his feet a little, before finally meeting the Prince's eyes, a faint blush on his face.

---

"Gee, you didn't have to come all the way back here just to listen to me---"

"No, no, it's quite all right. I'm always willing to lend an ear. And it's nice to just hang around like this once in a while. It's not every day I have no appointment to attend to at a moment."

The two, Makoto Miki and Eiji Oji spoke, sitting inside the now closed Shadow Ramen shop.

"Uh... th-thanks." Makoto mutters out while directing his attention to something on the floor, sweat dripping down the side of his face.

"So, what seems to be the matter?" Eiji, the Prince, asks, face expressionless, waiting for a reply.

"Um, ah... I... lately I've had this feeling that a certain customer of mine might be hitting on me. I-I mean, it's just--- he's come in a little too often in just the span of two days. I don't know anymore how many bowls of Shadow Steak Ramen he's bought. And it's really just wierding me out. There was nothing in the manual about something like this! And sometimes he comes in, looks around, and doesn't buy anything at all, and I think he may just be coming in to see me! And I'm really confused, and-- and---" Makoto drawls out in almost just one breath.

"Calm down, Mick. This is nothing you should be so confused about. I'm not sure whether that boy really is trying something, but I think it's perfectly clear what is really going on here." Eiji states, a knowing smile on his pale face.

"Y-you do?"

"Oh, Mick. If you were interested in fellow males, you shouldn't force yourself to deny it." Another smile gracing his features.

Makoto, taking a few seconds to process just what the princely man just said, suddenly--- "WHAT."

"E-eiji--! I mean-- Mr. Oji! Prince! I-it's not like that!! I-it can't be! I don't!! I c-can't--- NO!"

"Oh, come now. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Eiji says, expression serious, but with a smile on his face still. "It's perfectly fine."

"B-But, Mr Oji! D-Do... Do you really think I may be... um, you know." Makoto quietly asks, eyes downcast once more, looking more frazzled and confused as ever.

"Hm? I guess you could be. Or you may like both genders. I'm not quite sure." The Prince says and puts his hand round his chin, rubbing it lightly in thought. "I mean, you seem to have quite a few female friends, but I've never seen you show any particular interest to anyone you were with. I haven't really ever seen you date a girl too. I used to figure it was because you were so dedicated to your work, but now... I think it makes a little more sense, don't you think?" He says, finishing it with another smile.

Makoto, looking at the the smiling prince, himself looking quite incredulous, suddenly just drops his head on the table, practically smashing his face in.

HEAD DESK.

* * *

end chapter 2


	3. Restless due to Frustration

So yeah, nothing much in this chapter, and no one but Mick and extras appear. Oh, and I changed the title. It may end up changing again though.

* * *

That night, Makoto couldn't get to sleep at all.

He had been tossing and turning in his bed all night, the things the Prince said repeating themselves over and over in his head.

"There's just no way!" He exclaimed aloud, pulling his blanket over his head, quite frustrated.

Earlier that night, he was mostly just confused. But lying in his bed, having the whole night to think as his thoughts refused him rest, he just ended up becoming less confused and more agitated at the proposition of him being... well, you know.

Up to now though, he still couldn't get himself to even say the word, aloud or in his mind. True he's never been quite so attracted to any girls or women he's met, but certainly that was no reason to assume he was attracted to men instead.

And as if his subconsciousness were disagreeing with him, his thoughts suddenly flitted back to the orange haired teen he'd see so often in his shop.

"CRAP!"

Makoto almost jolted out of his bed, his sheets flying off of him as if he were trying to prevent it from strangling him.

"N-nah... it can't be. I don't even know his name. And I'm pretty sure I don't like him in any sort of romantic sense." And while that may be true, his hormones begged quite differently.

He flinched a little at that. But went on convincing himself otherwise.

"B-besides... who would be in to such a scrawny kid? And the guy is younger than me! I'm not old... but I'm not as young as him! I'm... what? Two? Three? Four years older?" Suddenly catching himself, he added: "A-and I'm sure I like women! I- I just haven't met anyone I particularly like! That's all!"

Standing up, he walks to his window and looks up at the starless sky.

When one lives in a place as brightly lit as Tokyo, the stars in the sky are almost impossible to be seen. Standing here by his small window in his rather cramped apartment-- (living in Tokyo isn't cheap, you know)--- he had but a small view of the already empty sky.

Tired and restless, and not to mention, utterly frustrated, the young businessman grudgingly makes his way back to his futon, disappointed that not even the night sky could bring him any peace of mind.

---

"Um, sir? We're about to open shop... but, are you okay, boss?"

"Mm—wha?"

Makoto opens his eyes to find one of his employees standing in front of him looking quite concerned.

"You seem very tired. Are you sure you want to work today? You look like you need quite a bit of rest." The employee said with a sweat drop.

True enough, their boss and owner of the shop was looking quite ill indeed. His eyes were glazed over, eyelids drooping shut, and until just recently, he was practically asleep over a table he was wiping. He even had a few soap suds stuck to his face from where he had it lying on the said table.

Doing his best to keep his eyes open, Makoto tried to straighten himself up and make his way to the counter.

"Don't be silly... I'm perfectly..." He yawns mid sentence "...fine. Business... MUST go on." He accentuates, making his way around the counter, bumping into it, and nearly falling over as if he were a drunk man walking.

"Don't worry! We can keep the shop running on our own. You need to go and get some proper sleep, boss!" A different employee of his ramen shop says coming out from the kitchen.

"Yeah, don't worry. We can handle it. You probably needed a break anyway!" The same employee as before adds, nudging his boss a little with his elbow.

Makoto, steadying himself from falling over from the small gesture, stands himself up a little more properly, glancing at his employees.

Finally, a small smile made it's way to his cheeks, and he couldn't help but thank them all twice, before gathering his things and heading on home.

---

At least, at that time, he'd hoped he was going straight home.

Despite the obvious not so well state the young man was in, he was somehow dragged by certain two girls to spend lunch with them.

Sitting in a stall in the Mexican Hot Dog shop, Makoto can't help but wonder: "How'd I end up here??"

* * *

end chapter 3


	4. Quite Pained

Fourth chapter and Ai and Mina make their appearances, the thought for this chapter being something to thank my first reviewer, Sky lord 35. Hopefully though, I can re-enter Eiji into the story in the next chapter.

* * *

"How'd I end up here?"

"Hm? How? We invited you, duh!" A girl with short dark hair says jokingly, looking up from her cellphone.

"Mina!" A girl with lighter and longer hair exclaims, nudging her friend beside her. Drawing her attention away from her best friend, she glanced a bit timidly towards the tired young man in front of them. "We're sorry, Makoto. You just sorta, you know, looked like you needed some company."

"Mm.. A-ah! It's okay... thanks, Ai."

Makoto, though genuinely grateful for the concern his two friends are exhibiting, couldn't help but pay only half of his full attention to them.

He was tired and was hoping to get more sleep than he got last night. That and things from yesterday still bothered him nonstop.

He'd been able to convince himself last night that he wasn't attracted to the orange haired teen. And yet, even after being totally convinced, new thoughts just came racing in.

Somewhere in his sub conscious, he probably just _wanted _that guy to like to him. To actually be liked... perhaps even, admired by someone. By some_one_. Someone... _male_?

No. No. Just... NO.

By this point, the poor guy didn't even have the strength to make large reactions at his thoughts as he did so much the night before. It was probably better this way though to prevent making a scene.

"Makoto? Makoto, are you okay?" Came Ai's concerned voice, piercing through his thoughts. "If you wanna talk about it, you can always tell us." She adds with a smile and glances towards the girl beside her.

"Oh, yeah, totally." Mina says, smiling once at Ai and Makoto, then looking around the food shop. "Hey, how about, you guys talk here for a while. I just have to go to the lavatory, 'kay?"

"M-mina!" Ai exclaims as she watched her best friend stand up and head for the shop's comfort rooms.

Walking past where Makoto was seated, Mina takes one last glance at Ai and gives her an encouraging wink.

Sighing, Ai brings her attention back to the brunette man whom she crushed on.

Makoto, on the other hand, seemed to have found something particularly interesting on the table in front of him as he just stares at it with tired eyes.

"Makoto?"

"Ah!?" He snaps out of his stupor.

"There's something obviously bothering you and it's not just lack of sleep." Ai says looking sideways. Blushing a little, she adds: "I was serious. You can tell me what's wrong. I'd be more than happy to listen to your problems."

Shoulders hunched and head hung low, Makoto spies Ai from through his bangs.

Ai and Mina were his friends. They've been for quite a while now, and he could always trust them to help him out at times he needed help. Surely, they, being the good persons they were, would understand if he was... well, you know. (That's getting quite repetitive). They, among anyone, would be able to accept something like this.

Besides, they were girls, he figures they're probably in to that kind of stuff. (_COUGH_YAOIFANGIRLS_COUGH_)

"I... I think... no, I may still be confused or something. But I think I may be..." Saying this now, Makoto was suddenly doubting if he should tell her or not. But being as tired and as brain dead as he currently was, he wasn't able to stop himself as the last word of his sentence stumbled out his mouth. "...GAY."

Right then and there, on a sunny day on a Wednesday, at exactly 12:25pm, in the second stall from the door in the Mexican Hot Dog fast food restaurant, Ai's world just suddenly halted.

On second thought, it didn't halt... it turned into hell.

"Ola mi amigos. Here are the your orders, senior and seniorita. Gracias for waiting---"

Just as the man working in the fast food restaurant was about to lay their tray of food down on their table, one of the cups of cola was swiped from the tray and its contents splashed onto a certain blue suited young man's face.

"W-what---!!?"

"Tell me, Makoto... now that you're awake." Ai started with a bit of a twitch by here eye as she spoke. "You're... just JOKING... right?" She adds, forcing a smile.

"N-no." He replies in a hushed squeak.

SLAP!

"H-how could you?!" Ai sobs, hand over her mouth, yet eyes looking murderous.

How could he, indeed? He's been the object of her affection for how long now, and he dares tell her something like this?? That's... such a total TURN-OFF!!!

"I can't believe you!!" She screams angrily, running out of the store, leaving Makoto rubbing his cheek as he watched her leave and a certain Mexican Hot Dog employee left looking utterly confused.

Makoto... had no idea what just happened.

As for Mina...

"Did I miss something?"

* * *

end chapter 4


	5. Tired Angry Concerned

Yes! I got Eiji back in the story! I just realized how much i have a hard time writing him properly... but that may go for other characters too. Even if I can write 'em, I'm not sure if I get 'em all that correctly. Suggestions are welcome as I'm approaching a writer's block. I need more interaction between Makoto and Eiji! D:

* * *

After the incident in the Mexican Hot Dog restaurant, Makoto quickly made his way home. He was still tired, and right now, he was soaking wet too.

He was surprised at Ai's reaction. He hadn't expected her to act so... negatively. At least, not to that degree.

"What's the big deal anyway?"

He suddenly then slaps himself across the face.

Yes. It is a big deal. He himself has been making quite a big deal of it, too.

After Ai stalked off, Makoto didn't bother telling Mina anything about what he'd told Ai. And Mina, understanding she wasn't about to get anything out of Makoto, ran after her best friend.

Entering his room, he makes his way to the bathroom to clean himself up. Soft drinks are sticky when they dry and his shirt and hair were completely drenched in it.

---

Clothed in nothing but a simple white t-shirt and gray jogging pants, Makoto walks out from the bathroom, towel still hanging loosely over his head.

Feeling quite refreshed, he plops himself down onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow, the towel falling around his shoulders.

"Man, if I lose any of my friends because of what I might be... how much worse would customers react to me?"

Business as usual. As much as work stresses him out, at this moment, work might be the only thing distracting him from completely losing his head. That is, considering the orange haired teen doesn't walk in while he's actually working.

Grunting a bit in frustration, he reaches for his cellphone that he left on his bed before he'd gone to the bathroom.

He had a few messages.

Most were just things concerning work. Messages from his employees, either telling him how the shop was doing, or most others sending him a 'get well soon' text message.

There was a few junk mail as well. Chain letters and Spam, and others of the like.

He had a message from his previous boss, it's content mostly about some event at Molco and how he's inviting him to be one of the sponsors of the event.

He quickly replied, and moved onto his other messages.

His last message was a text from Mina. It read:

_"__Uoh! no wai! i was so surprised 2 hear dat u wer ghey! ( ''0A0)!! Sori, i had Ai spill d beans. ^^U She was so surprised, 2!! She's rly upset ryt nao... but dnt worry 2 much! I'm stil ur frend, so i'll support u wid w/e way you swing! 'kay? XDD"_

Looking at the message with a weird face, he decides not to reply.

"Ugh... yeah... thanks Mina..."

He heaved an exasperated sigh.

He appreciates it that Mina seems very open with this, but after what happened with Ai, he doesn't think he'll ever let this go public to the rest of his peers and acquaintances.

Closing his phone, and dropping it on the floor, he rolls over, and tries to get some sleep.

This whole thing was just totally ruining him.

Pulling his blanket over his head, he sobs:

"This sucks."

---

"Like, omigod! It's the Prince!! Kyaaa!"

And true enough, the Prince of Ennui, enters the 104 building, followed by another few squeals from some of his fangirls.

Walking straight, he passes some of his admirers as if their giggles and squeals were the most natural thing in the world. For the famous Eiji Oji, it probably was.

"Ooh! He really is soo dreamy~~!"

"Mina, are you listening?!!" Ai says, harsher than should have been intended, her head still hot.

"Mm? Yeah, I am." Mina replies, turning back to her light haired friend.

Ignoring Mina's slight distraction, Ai continues.

"So, can you like, believe it?! All this time... and he was GAY?? I can't even remember anymore why I was crushing on him in the first place! I mean, really! This totally pisses me off! All those attempts at getting closer to him for nothing!" Ai says in a very angry tone, while looking through racks of clothes inside one of the shops in 104. "What a total waste of time that was in my life!"

With the noise Ai was making, the Prince couldn't help but glance in their direction. Shrugging it off, he continued on his own business.

"That Makoto Miki! What a disappointment!"

... Or at least he was.

Upon hearing the name of the Shadow Ramen shop owner, Eiji couldn't help but listen in on what else the two girls had to say.

"Oh, c'mon Ai! It's not so bad! Sure your chance with him may be totally ruined now, but you should cut the guy some slack. I think it's kinda cute!" Mina says cheerily, trying to lift Ai's bad mood a little.

"Yeah, I know. But it's just..." Ai says a bit sadly. "I guess, I found it a bit of a waste."

"C'mon! You'll find someone else you'll like, right?"

"Heh, yeah. I guess. Thanks Mina." Ai says sincerely but not sounding fully convinced.

"Heehee, how 'bout we just go and buy some ice cream? That'll cheer you up! My treat!" Mina suggests, smiling brightly.

"Sure." Ai replies, gracing Mina with a smile of her own.

Walking out of 104, Mina couldn't help but add: "Makoto seemed quite upset too, didn't he? I wonder how he's doing..." Until the two girls were out of hearing range.

Eiji, still standing inside 104, couldn't help but feel a bit worried for Makoto. Brows furrowing a little, curiosity and concern mixing in one expression, he says quietly to himself:

"Indeed, I do wonder how he's doing."

* * *

end chapter 5


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